Is this a numpty question? (Active Speakers)

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Hi all,

I'm sure I heard someone out on the road ask this very same question to me once and I didn't have a reply so I thought I'd ask here.

Active Speakers - They have their own amps in them.
If for some reason they went down, could you run them with an amp?
Would they ideally turn into passive speakers if they stopped working due to the amps?

I thought I'd ask. It's either a really stupid numpty question with an obvious answer or a decent one that hasn't been asked before?
Either way, it would be interesting to know.
Thanks

[Djanddisco]

I wouldn't have thought so, the main reason being is 9/10 active speakers use XLRs and from what I understand you can only put about 80w (or somewhere around that figure) through them.

[Pe7e]

You certainly couldn't send a signal from an external amp to the XLR input and expect them to work without modification, but it would be very easy to rewire them to accept a signal from an external amp to be able to use them as passive speakers, if the built in amp was to fail beyond economic repair. Ideally you would also remove the internal amp, (or the heavier componants i.e. heatsink, transformer ect) at the same time to reduce the weight you would be left carrying around.

[funkymook]

I've often thought having an input for an external amp would be very handy on powered speakers for back-up. Though perhaps not the best selling point for reliability as it could be construed the manufacturer expects you'll have to use them, and they'd also need to be wired up to cut-off the internal amp when in use to avoid two power loads, adding more expense.

I'm sure the designers have thought of it, but as there aren't any on the market it's obviously been dismissed for various reasons.

[Excalibur]

I'm sure the designers have thought of it, but as there aren't any on the market it's obviously been dismissed for various reasons.

Panto Time. " Oh yes there are". ( were? )

I've seen them at a NADJ meeting, Brooke make them. I liked them. Can I find a link to the models in question? No. Perhaps they were discontinued, I don't know. Sorry.

[Pe7e]

It begs the question, why would you carry an amplifier around with you if you were kitted out with active speakers? surely you would carry a spare speaker instead. Regarding rewiring to use as passive speakers, I forgot to add, you would also need to fit a suitable passive crossover

[funkymook]

It begs the question, why would you carry an amplifier around with you if you were kitted out with active speakers? surely you would carry a spare speaker instead. Regarding rewiring to use as passive speakers, I forgot to add, you would also need to fit a suitable passive crossover

Smaller and lighter (well some amps are lighter), no need to set-up the spare speaker, just connect the amp which you could have running already, like any good back-up plan.

[djdj]

Panto Time. " Oh yes there are". ( were? )

I've seen them at a NADJ meeting, Brooke make them. I liked them. Can I find a link to the models in question? No. Perhaps they were discontinued, I don't know. Sorry.

I can confirm this as I was at the same demo,
The speakers do seam to have dissapeared from view but seemed a good idea :beer1:

[SoundONE]

All you need to do is add drill a speakon socket into the case and connect that to a new passive xover then add a simple switch that will break the existing speaker connectons to the passive amp and instead link it to a cheap xover that then feeds the drivers. Pretty simple job to be honest. This way you have the best of both worlds at the flick of a switch.

[ukpartydj]

I took apart my RCF705as the other day ... if you unscrew the amp (lots of screws) you're left with 2 wires - would be an easy job to wire a new amp to it if you had some basic electrical tools and a spare 20 mins.
I personally would never bother... spare speaker all the way.

[Kernow]

All you need to do is add drill a speakon socket into the case and connect that to a new passive xover then add a simple switch that will break the existing speaker connectons to the passive amp and instead link it to a cheap xover that then feeds the drivers. Pretty simple job to be honest. This way you have the best of both worlds at the flick of a switch.


Alternatively, if only for emergency backup, fit a switched 6.3mm jack socket instead of a speakon. This would break the speaker connection automatically when a plug is inserted (and only require a 9mm hole !) ? :lightbulb:
http://www.audiospares.com/product.php?productid=3090&page=2

[intensesound]

some have a passive bi pass but usualy its a case of take the amp out of the speaker and go through an active crossover and seprate amp one side to horn and other driver. i have to say im not a big fan of active because at least you can get by if one amp channel goes down but alot more hassle if one active speaker goes. (this is only my opion)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

some have a passive bi pass but usualy its a case of take the amp out of the speaker and go through an active crossover and seprate amp one side to horn and other driver. i have to say im not a big fan of active because at least you can get by if one amp channel goes down but alot more hassle if one active speaker goes. (this is only my opion)

Why is it more hassle? If one active speaker goes then you have the other one...pretty much the same if an amp goes.

[ukpartydj]

I saw an interesting speaker at a DJ convention last Tuesday... Active speaker with an amp bypass so you could use the onboard amp or a seperate amp. You could also use the onboard amp to power another speaker by daisy chaining. Very versetile had wheels and thad 2 fuses built in ... It one went you just twisted a knob to pop the other in ... Never seen a ad speaker so well thought out. Made by Brooke audio